THE ARCANE ARCHIVE

High and Low Magic - Another Opinion

To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.pagan.magick,alt.magick.ethics
From: catherine yronwode
Subject: Re: High and Low Magic - Another Opinion
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 21:47:01 GMT
Meph wrote:
>
> "High Magic", AKA "Western Ceremonial Magick" is more based on
> intellect and bending the Universe's will to your will by pure force
> of mind. It is usually (but not always) more heavily 'high-church'
> ritual-oriented; i.e., very long, detailed, complex rituals that
> change little from invocation to invocation. In many (but not all)
> cases the ultimate goal is to communicate with a higher power (e.g.
> angels); sometimes a real-world change is desired (e.g., money,
> healing). Examples include Crowley, OTO, Hermatic.
>
> "Low Magic", AKA "Pagan" is more based on aligning your will to that
> of the Universe. It is usually (but not always) more 'low-church'
> ritual-oriented; i.e. rituals are simpler and may not be replicated
> at different occurrances of the same celebration. In many (but not
> all) cases the ultimate goal is real-world change (e.g., money,
> healing); sometimes a communication with a higher power is desired
> (e.g. Drawing Down the Goddess/God). Examples include Wicca,
> Witchcraft, shamanism.
>
> Note I don't include 'worship' or diety in either. In my experience,
> both types have adherents that are very 'religious' in their
> practice of magic (i.e., very diety-of-choice oriented) and both
> have adherents that practice magic without any trappings of religion
> or worship.
You have either left out or wrongly defined the bulk of folk-magic,
which is not neo-pagan or wiccan in orientation. Seveal vast continents'
worth of pracitioners of folk-magic would not necessarily agree with you
that what they do is "based on aligning [their] will to that of the
Universe." The terminolory and concept you present are senseless in
almost all instances of hoodoo, brujeria, and stregha spell-casting and
they do not relate at all to Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Aegean
folk-magic customs or practices surrounding the belief in the evil eye,
either.
Cordially,
cat yronwode
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